Normally, many medicines are stored in vial containers (medicine-storing containers) each having a mouth section sealed with a rubber plug. The medicines include, for example, a liquid preparation or a powdery preparation that has to be dissolved. A method of operating a vial container in the former case (hereafter referred to as “Case 1”) and a method of operating a vial container in the latter case (hereafter referred to as “Case 2”) will be described below.
Case 1
(1) A cap that covers a mouth section of the vial container is detached.
(2) A rubber plug of the vial container is disinfected with cotton containing alcohol.
(3) Air slightly less than a liquid amount to be collected is injected into a syringe.
(4) A needle mounted on the syringe is stabbed orthogonally through the rubber plug.
(5) The vial container is turned upside down together with the syringe, and a position of the vital container is adjusted such that a needlepoint is located lower than a liquid surface. Then, an appropriate amount of the liquid medicine is sucked into the syringe. In this instance, a pressure inside the vial container becomes negative.
(6) The position of the vital container is adjusted such that the needlepoint is located higher than the liquid surface, and the air is returned into the vial container at the mercy of a pressure difference by the amount that has been sucked.
(7) The above steps (5) and (6) are repeated, and a prescribed amount of the medicine is collected.
(8) After completion of collecting the medicine, an appropriate amount of the air is sucked from the vial container, and the needle is taken out, keeping the pressure inside the vial container negative.